Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच आद्यन्तं सर्वभूतानां श्रोतुमिच्छामि कौरव ध्यानं कर्म च कालं च तथैवायुर्युगे युगे
M. N. Dutt: I wish, O Kuru hero, to know what origin and what the end is of all creatures; what the nature of their meditation is and what their acts; what the divisions of time are, and what is the spare of human existence in the respective cycles.
लोकतत्त्वं च कार्त्स्न्येन भूतानामागतिं गतिम् सर्गश्च निधनं चैव कुत एतत्प्रवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: I wish also to know fully the truth about the genesis and the conduct of the world; the you. coming of creatures into the world and their exit. Indeed; whence their creation and destruction?
Supplementary Passages:
12.224.2 After 2, Kumbh. ed. ins.: *668 भेदकं भेदतत्त्वं च तथान्येषां मतं तथा अवस्थात्रितयं चैव यादृशं च पितामह
यदि तेऽनुग्रहे बुद्धिरस्मास्विह सतां वर एतद्भवन्तं पृच्छामि तद्भवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे
M. N. Dutt: O best of virtuous persons, if you wish to favour us, do tell this about which I ask
पूर्वं हि कथितं श्रुत्वा भृगुभाषितमुत्तमम् भरद्वाजस्य विप्रर्षेस्ततो मे बुद्धिरुत्तमा
AI Translation: Having first heard the excellent words spoken by Bhrigu, then my supreme intellect arose from the sage Bhṛgu, the brahmin Bharadvāja.
जाता परमधर्मिष्ठा दिव्यसंस्थानसंस्थिता ततो भूयस्तु पृच्छामि तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
AI Translation: Born as the foremost in supreme Dharma, abiding in a divine form, Then I ask again, it befits you to speak.
भीष्म उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्येऽहमितिहासं पुरातनम् जगौ यद्भगवान्व्यासः पुत्राय परिपृच्छते
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Regarding it I shall recite to you an old narrative of what the divine Vyasa said to his son Shuka when the latter had asked the former.
अधीत्य वेदानखिलान्साङ्गोपनिषदस्तथा अन्विच्छन्नैष्ठिकं कर्म धर्मनैपुणदर्शनात्
AI Translation: Having studied all the Vedas along with the Vedāṅgas and Upaniṣads, Seeking the final duty, due to the vision of skill in Dharma,
कृष्णद्वैपायनं व्यासं पुत्रो वैयासकिः शुकः पप्रच्छ संदेहमिमं छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम्
AI Translation: Śuka, the son of Vyāsa, the son of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, asked this question to remove his doubts about Dharma and Artha.
भूतग्रामस्य कर्तारं कालज्ञाने च निश्चयम् ब्राह्मणस्य च यत्कृत्यं तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: Shuka said You should tell me who the Creator is of all beings, as fixed by a knowledge of time, and what the duties are of a Brahmana!
Supplementary Passages:
12.224.9 After 9ab, Kumbh. ed. ins.: *669 ज्ञानं ब्रह्म च योगं च गवात्मकमिदं जगत् त्रितये त्वेनमायाति तथा ह्येषोऽपि वा पुनः केनैव च विभागः स्यात्तुरीयो लक्षणैर्विना ज्ञानज्ञेयान्तरे कोऽसौ कोऽयं भावस्तु भेदवत् यज्ज्ञानं लक्षणं चैव तेषां कर्तारमेव च
तस्मै प्रोवाच तत्सर्वं पिता पुत्राय पृच्छते अतीतानागते विद्वान्सर्वज्ञः सर्वधर्मवित्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The father, having a knowledge of both the past and the future, conversant with all duties and gifted with omniscience, thus described the subject to his son, who had questioned him.
अनाद्यन्तमजं दिव्यमजरं ध्रुवमव्ययम् अप्रतर्क्यमविज्ञेयं ब्रह्माग्रे समवर्तत
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said Only Brahma, who is without beginning without end, unborn, effulgent, above decay, immutable, indestructible, inconceivable and transcending knowledge, exists before the Creation.
काष्ठा निमेषा दश पञ्च चैव; त्रिंशत्तु काष्ठा गणयेत्कलां ताम् त्रिंशत्कलाश्चापि भवेन्मुहूर्तो; भागः कलाया दशमश्च यः स्यात्
AI Translation: Ten and a half finger-snaps make a kṣaṇa, and thirty kṣaṇas make a kalā. Thirty kalās make a muhūrta, and the tenth part of a kalā is a bhāga.
त्रिंशन्मुहूर्तश्च भवेदहश्च; रात्रिश्च संख्या मुनिभिः प्रणीता मासः स्मृतो रात्र्यहनी च त्रिंश;त्संवत्सरो द्वादशमास उक्तः संवत्सरं द्वे अयने वदन्ति; संख्याविदो दक्षिणमुत्तरं च
AI Translation: The day is thirty muhūrta; the night is also so, according to the calculation of the sages. The month is said to be thirty days and nights; the year is said to be twelve months. The knowers of numbers say that the year is two ayanas, the southern and the northern.
अहोरात्रे विभजते सूर्यो मानुषलौकिके रात्रिः स्वप्नाय भूतानां चेष्टायै कर्मणामहः
M. N. Dutt: The sun makes the day and the night for men. The night is for the sleep of all living creatures, and the day is for work.
पित्र्ये रात्र्यहनी मासः प्रविभागस्तयोः पुनः कृष्णोऽहः कर्मचेष्टायां शुक्लः स्वप्नाय शर्वरी
M. N. Dutt: A month of human beings is equal to a day and night of the departed manes. That division consists in this: the light half of the month is their day which is for work; and the dark fortnight is their night for sleep.
दैवे रात्र्यहनी वर्षं प्रविभागस्तयोः पुनः अहस्तत्रोदगयनं रात्रिः स्याद्दक्षिणायनम्
M. N. Dutt: A year (of men) is equal to a day and night to the gods. This division consists in this: the half year for which the sun travels from the vernal to the autumnal equinox is the day of the gods, and the half year for which the sun moves from the latter to the former is their night.
ये ते रात्र्यहनी पूर्वे कीर्तिते दैवलौकिके तयोः संख्याय वर्षाग्रं ब्राह्मे वक्ष्याम्यहःक्षपे
M. N. Dutt: Calculating by the days and nights of human beings about which I have told you, I shall speak of the day and night of Brahman and his years also.
तेषां संवत्सराग्राणि प्रवक्ष्याम्यनुपूर्वशः कृते त्रेतायुगे चैव द्वापरे च कलौ तथा
M. N. Dutt: I shall, in their order, tell you the number of years, that are for different purposes calculated differently, in the Krita, the Treta, the Dvapara, and the Kali Yugas.
चत्वार्याहुः सहस्राणि वर्षाणां तत्कृतं युगम् तस्य तावच्छती संध्या संध्यांशश्च तथाविधः
M. N. Dutt: Four thousand celestial years is the duration of the first or Krita age. The morning of that cycle consists of four hundred years and its evening is of four hundred years.
इतरेषु ससंध्येषु ससंध्यांशेषु च त्रिषु एकापायेन संयान्ति सहस्राणि शतानि च
M. N. Dutt: Regarding the other cycles, the duration of each gradually decreases by a quarter in respect of both the principal period with the minor portion and the conjoining portion itself.
एतानि शाश्वताँल्लोकान्धारयन्ति सनातनान् एतद्ब्रह्मविदां तात विदितं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्
M. N. Dutt: These periods always keep up the neverending and eternal worlds. They who know Brahma, O child, regard this as Immutable Brahma.
चतुष्पात्सकलो धर्मः सत्यं चैव कृते युगे नाधर्मेणागमः कश्चित्परस्तस्य प्रवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: In the Krita age all the duties exist in full, along with Truth. Men of that age never acquired knowledge or object through unrighteous or forbidden means.
इतरेष्वागमाद्धर्मः पादशस्त्ववरोप्यते चौरिकानृतमायाभिरधर्मश्चोपचीयते
M. N. Dutt: In the other cycles duty, as laid down in the Vedas, is seen to gradually decline by a quarter in each. Sinfulness multiplies by theft, untruth, and deception.
Supplementary Passages:
12.224.23 After 23ab, D7 T G1.3.6 M1.5-7 Kumbh. ed. ins.: *670 सत्यं शौचं तथायुश्च धर्मश्चापैति पादशः
अरोगाः सर्वसिद्धार्थाश्चतुर्वर्षशतायुषः कृते त्रेतादिष्वेतेषां पादशो ह्रसते वयः
M. N. Dutt: In the Krita age, all persons are free from disease and achieve their objects, and all live for four hundred years. In the Treta, the period of life decreases by a quarter.
वेदवादाश्चानुयुगं ह्रसन्तीति च नः श्रुतम् आयूंषि चाशिषश्चैव वेदस्यैव च यत्फलम्
M. N. Dutt: We have heard that, in the succeeding Yugas, the words of the Vedas, the periods of life, the blessings and the fruits of Vedic rites, all decrease gradually.
अन्ये कृतयुगे धर्मास्त्रेतायां द्वापरेऽपरे अन्ये कलियुगे धर्मा यथाशक्तिकृता इव
M. N. Dutt: The duties set down for the Krita Yuga are of one kind. Those for the Treta are otherwise. Those for the Dwapara are different. And those for the Kali are otherwise. This is in accordance with the decline which marks every succeeding cycle.
तपः परं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् द्वापरे यज्ञमेवाहुर्दानमेव कलौ युगे
M. N. Dutt: In the Krita, Penance is the foremost. In the Treta, Knowledge is foremost. In Dvapara, Sacrifice has been said to be the foremost. In the Kali Yuga, only gift is sanctioned.
एतां द्वादशसाहस्रीं युगाख्यां कवयो विदुः सहस्रं परिवृत्तं तद्ब्राह्मं दिवसमुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: The learned say that these twelve thousand celestial years from what is celled a cycle. A thousand such cycles form a single day of Brahman.
रात्रिस्तावत्तिथी ब्राह्मी तदादौ विश्वमीश्वरः प्रलयेऽध्यात्ममाविश्य सुप्त्वा सोऽन्ते विबुध्यते
M. N. Dutt: The same is the duration of Brahman's night. With the beginning of Brahman's day the universe begins to come into being. During the period of universal dissolution the Creator sleeps, in Yoga-meditation. When the period of sleep expires, He awakes.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः
M. N. Dutt: What is Brahman's day covers a thousand such cycles. His night also covers a thousand similar cycles. They who know this are said to know the day and the night.
प्रतिबुद्धो विकुरुते ब्रह्माक्षय्यं क्षपाक्षये सृजते च महद्भूतं तस्माद्व्यक्तात्मकं मनः
M. N. Dutt: On the expiry of His night, Brahman, waking up modifies the indestructible intelligence by causing it to be overlaid with ignorance. He then causes Consciousness to spring up, whence originates Mind which is at one with the Manifest.
ब्रह्म तेजोमयं शुक्रं यस्य सर्वमिदं जगत् एकस्य भूतं भूतस्य द्वयं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said Brahma is the effulgent seed from which existing as it does by itself, has originated the entire universe consisting of two kinds of being, viz., the mobile and the immobile,
अहर्मुखे विबुद्धः सन्सृजते विद्यया जगत् अग्र एव महाभूतमाशु व्यक्तात्मकं मनः
M. N. Dutt: At the dawn of His day, waking up, He creates with the aid of Avidya this universe. Mahat or the principle of Greatness at first springs up. That Mahat is speedily changed into Mind which is the soul of the Manifest.
अभिभूयेह चार्चिष्मद्व्यसृजत्सप्त मानसान् दूरगं बहुधागामि प्रार्थनासंशयात्मकम्
AI Translation: Having conquered here, he emitted seven mental ones, shining with light, Far-reaching, going in many ways, consisting of desire and doubt,
मनः सृष्टिं विकुरुते चोद्यमानं सिसृक्षया आकाशं जायते तस्मात्तस्य शब्दो गुणो मतः
AI Translation: When the mind is impelled by the desire to create, it creates. From that, space is born, and sound is considered to be its quality.
आकाशात्तु विकुर्वाणात्सर्वगन्धवहः शुचिः बलवाञ्जायते वायुस्तस्य स्पर्शो गुणो मतः
M. N. Dutt: From Ether, by modification, originates the bearer of all scents, viz., the pure, and powerful Wind. It is said to possess the property of Touch.
वायोरपि विकुर्वाणाज्ज्योतिर्भूतं तमोनुदम् रोचिष्णु जायते तत्र तद्रूपगुणमुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: From Wind also, by modification, originates Light endued with effulgence. Beautiful and called also Shukram, it is thus created, possessing the attribute of Form.
ज्योतिषोऽपि विकुर्वाणाद्भवन्त्यापो रसात्मिकाः अद्भ्यो गन्धगुणा भूमिः पूर्वैषा सृष्टिरुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: From light, by modification, originates Water having taste for its attribute. From Water originates Earth having Scent for its attribute. These are said to represent primary creation.
गुणाः पूर्वस्य पूर्वस्य प्राप्नुवन्त्युत्तरोत्तरम् तेषां यावत्तिथं यद्यत्तत्तत्तावद्गुणं स्मृतम्
M. N. Dutt: These, in succession, acquire the attributes of the immediately preceding ones from which they have originated. Each has not only its own special attribute but each succeeding one has the attributes of all the previous ones.
उपलभ्याप्सु चेद्गन्धं केचिद्ब्रूयुरनैपुणात् पृथिव्यामेव तं विद्यादापो वायुं च संश्रितम्
M. N. Dutt: If anybody, perceiving Scent in Water, were from ignorance to say that it belongs to Water, he would make a mistake, for Scent is the attribute of Earth though it may exist in Water and also Wind.
एते तु सप्त पुरुषा नानाविर्याः पृथक्पृथक् नाशक्नुवन्प्रजाः स्रष्टुमसमागम्य सर्वतः
M. N. Dutt: These seven kinds of entities, possessing various kinds of energy, at first existed separately from one another. They could not create objects without all of them acting in a body.
ते समेत्य महात्मानमन्योन्यमभिसंश्रिताः शरीराश्रयणं प्राप्तास्ततः पुरुष उच्यते
M. N. Dutt: All these great entities coming together, and mixing with one another, form the constituent parts of the body which are called limbs.
श्रयणाच्छरीरं भवति मूर्तिमत्षोडशात्मकम् तदाविशन्ति भूतानि महान्ति सह कर्मणा
M. N. Dutt: On account of the combination of those limbs,-the sum-total, invested with form and having sixteen constituent parts, becomes what is called the body, (When the gross body is thus forined), the subtile principle of greatness, with the unexhausted remnant of acts, then enters that combination called the gross body.
सर्वभूतानि चादाय तपसश्चरणाय च आदिकर्ता महाभूतं तमेवाहुः प्रजापतिम्
M. N. Dutt: The original Creator of all beings, then having by His Maya divided Himself, enters that subtile form for overloO king everything. And because he is the original Creator of all beings he is called the lord of all beings.
स वै सृजति भूतानि स एव पुरुषः परः अजो जनयते ब्रह्मा देवर्षिपितृमानवान्
AI Translation: He creates beings, he is the supreme Purusha. The unborn Brahma generates gods, sages, Pitris and men.
लोकान्नदीः समुद्रांश्च दिशः शैलान्वनस्पतीन् नरकिंनररक्षांसि वयःपशुमृगोरगान् अव्ययं च व्ययं चैव द्वयं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
AI Translation: The worlds, rivers, oceans, directions, mountains, trees, Men, kinnaras, demons, animals, birds, and snakes, The imperishable and the perishable, the dual, the immovable and the moving,
तेषां ये यानि कर्माणि प्राक्सृष्ट्यां प्रतिपेदिरे तान्येव प्रतिपद्यन्ते सृज्यमानाः पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: Those who performed certain actions in the past before creation, they perform those same actions again and again when being created.
हिंस्राहिंस्रे मृदुक्रूरे धर्माधर्मे ऋतानृते अतो यन्मन्यते धाता तस्मात्तत्तस्य रोचते
AI Translation: To the violent and non-violent, the mild and cruel, to virtue and vice, to truth and falsehood, Therefore, whatever the Creator thinks, that is pleasing to him.
महाभूतेषु नानात्वमिन्द्रियार्थेषु मूर्तिषु विनियोगं च भूतानां धातैव विदधात्युत
M. N. Dutt: It is the Ordained himself who attaches variety to the great entities to the objects of the senses and to size or bulk of existent matter, and settles the relations of creatures with those various entities.
केचित्पुरुषकारं तु प्राहुः कर्मविदो जनाः दैवमित्यपरे विप्राः स्वभावं भूतचिन्तकाः
M. N. Dutt: Of men who had devoted themselves to the science of things, there are some who say that, in the production of effects, Exertion is supreme. Some learned persons hold that Destiny is supreme, and some that it is Nature which is the agent.
पौरुषं कर्म दैवं च फलवृत्तिस्वभावतः त्रय एतेऽपृथग्भूता नविवेकं तु केचन
M. N. Dutt: Others hold that Acts flowing from Exertion and Destiny, produce effects, helped by Nature. Instead of considering any of these as alone powerful for the production of effects, they say that it is the union of all three that produces all effects.
एवमेतच्च नैवं च यद्भूतं सृजते जगत् कर्मस्था विषमं ब्रूयुः सत्त्वस्थाः समदर्शिनः
M. N. Dutt: About this subject, some say that such is the case; some, that such is not the case; some, that both of these are not the case; and some that it is not that the reverse of both are not. These, of course, are the contentions of those who depend on Acts, with reference to objects. They, however, whose see the truth consider Brahma as the causes.
तपो निःश्रेयसं जन्तोस्तस्य मूलं दमः शमः तेन सर्वानवाप्नोति यान्कामान्मनसेच्छति
M. N. Dutt: Penance is the greatest good for living creatures. The roots of penance are tranquillity and self-control. By penance one acquires all things that he longs for in his mind.
तपसा तदवाप्नोति यद्भूतं सृजते जगत् स तद्भूतश्च सर्वेषां भूतानां भवति प्रभुः
M. N. Dutt: By penance one attains to that Being who creates the universe. He who thus succeeds in attaining to that Being becomes the powerful lord of all beings.
ऋषयस्तपसा वेदानध्यैषन्त दिवानिशम् अनादिनिधना नित्या वागुत्सृष्टा स्वयंभुवा
M. N. Dutt: it is by penance that the Rishis can read the Vedas without interruption. In the beginning the self-create caused those excellent Vedic sounds, that are embodiments of knowledge and that have neither beginning nor end. From those sounds have sprung all sorts of actions.
Supplementary Passages:
12.224.55 After 55, M1. 5-7 ins.: *671 आदौ वेदमयी दिव्या यतः सर्वाः प्रवृत्तयः
ऋषीणां नामधेयानि याश्च वेदेषु सृष्टयः शर्वर्यन्तेषु जातानां तान्येवैभ्यो ददाति सः
AI Translation: The names of the sages and the creations in the Vedas, He gives them to those born at the end of the rainy season.
Supplementary Passages:
12.224.56 After 56ab, K2.4.6.7 V1 B0.6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 Ds D2-9 T G1-3.6 M1.5-7 Cn.p.s Kumbh. ed. ins.: *672 नानारूपं च भूतानां कर्मणां च प्रवर्तनम् वेदशब्देभ्य एवादौ निर्मिमीते स ईश्वरः नामधेयानि चर्षीणां याश्च वेदेषु सृष्टयः
नामभेदस्तपःकर्मयज्ञाख्या लोकसिद्धयः आत्मसिद्धिस्तु वेदेषु प्रोच्यते दशभिः क्रमैः
M. N. Dutt: in the Vedas has been described the subject of the Soul's Liberation, along with the ten means formed by study of the Vedas, adoption of the domestic mode of life. penances, observance of all duties, common to all the modes of life, sacrifices, performance of all acts leading to pure fame meditation which is of three kinds, and that kind of Liberation called success (Siddhi) attainable in this life.
यदुक्तं वेदवादेषु गहनं वेददृष्टिभिः तदन्तेषु यथायुक्तं क्रमयोगेन लक्ष्यते
M. N. Dutt: That incomprehensible Brahma which has been described in the words of the Vedas, and which has been described more clearly in the Upanishads by those who have an insight into the Vedas, can be realised by gradually following the practices referred to above.
कर्मजोऽयं पृथग्भावो द्वंद्वयुक्तो वियोगिनः आत्मसिद्धिस्तु विज्ञाता जहाति प्रायशो बलम्
M. N. Dutt: This consciousness of duality, fraught again with that of pairs opposites, is born only of acts in which he is engaged to a person who thinks he has a body. That person, however, who has attained to Liberation aided by his knowledge, drives off by force that consciousness of duality.
द्वे ब्रह्मणी वेदितव्ये शब्दब्रह्म परं च यत् शब्दब्रह्मणि निष्णातः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति
M. N. Dutt: Two Brahmas should be known viz., the Brahma represented by the Vedas and that which is beyond the Vedas and is supreme. One who is conversant with Brahma represented by sound succeeds in attaining to Brahma that is Supreme.
आरम्भयज्ञाः क्षत्रस्य हविर्यज्ञा विशस्तथा परिचारयज्ञाः शूद्रास्तु तपोयज्ञा द्विजातयः
M. N. Dutt: The destruction of animals is the sacrifice sanctioned for the Kshatriyas. The growing of corn is the sacrifice sanctioned for the Vaisshyas. Serving the three other orders is the sacrifice sanctioned for the Shudras. Penance is the sacrifice sanctioned for the Brahmanas.
त्रेतायुगे विधिस्त्वेषां यज्ञानां न कृते युगे द्वापरे विप्लवं यान्ति यज्ञाः कलियुगे तथा
M. N. Dutt: In the Krita age the perforinance of sacrifices was not required. Such performance became necessary in the Treta age. In the Dvapara, sacrifices have begun to fall off. In the Kali, the same is the case with them,
अपृथग्धर्मिणो मर्त्या ऋक्सामानि यजूंषि च काम्यां पुष्टिं पृथग्दृष्ट्वा तपोभिस्तप एव च
M. N. Dutt: In the Krita age, worshipping only one Brahma, men regarded the Richs, the Samans, the Yajushas, and the rites and sacrifices that are performed from motives of advantage, as all different from the object of their worship, and practised only Yoga by means of penances.
त्रेतायां तु समस्तास्ते प्रादुरासन्महाबलाः संयन्तारः स्थावराणां जङ्गमानां च सर्वशः
M. N. Dutt: In the Treta age, many powerful men flourished who governed all mobile and immobile objects.
त्रेतायां संहता ह्येते यज्ञा वर्णास्तथैव च संरोधादायुषस्त्वेते व्यस्यन्ते द्वापरे युगे
M. N. Dutt: Accordingly, in that age, the Vedas, and sacrifices, and the distinctions between the several orders, and the four modes of life, existed in a body. On account, however, of the decrease in the period of life in Dvapara, all these, it that age, fall off from that compact condition.
दृश्यन्ते नापि दृश्यन्ते वेदाः कलियुगेऽखिलाः उत्सीदन्ते सयज्ञाश्च केवला धर्मसेतवः
M. N. Dutt: In the Kali age, all the Vedas become so scarce that they are not seen by men. Afflicted by iniquity, they become extinct along with the rites and sacrifices laid down in them.
कृते युगे यस्तु धर्मो ब्राह्मणेषु प्रदृश्यते आत्मवत्सु तपोवत्सु श्रुतवत्सु प्रतिष्ठितः
M. N. Dutt: The righteousness which is seen in the Krita age is now seen in such Brahmanas as are of purified souls and as are devoted to penances and the study of the scriptures.
अधर्मव्रतसंयोगं यथाधर्मं युगे युगे विक्रियन्ते स्वधर्मस्था वेदवादा यथायुगम्
M. N. Dutt: As regards the other cycles, it is seen that without at once giving up the duties and acts that are consistent with righteousness, men, observing the practices of their respective orders, and conversant with the ordinances of the Vedas, are led, by the authority of the scriptures, and from motives of advantage and interest to perform sacrifices and vows and sojourns to sacred waters and places.
यथा विश्वानि भूतानि वृष्ट्या भूयांसि प्रावृषि सृज्यन्ते जङ्गमस्थानि तथा धर्मा युगे युगे
M. N. Dutt: As in the rainy reason a large variety of new objets of the immobile order are caused to come into being by the showers that fall from the clouds, so many new kinds of duty or religious observances are brought about in each new cycle.
यथर्तुष्वृतुलिङ्गानि नानारूपाणि पर्यये दृश्यन्ते तानि तान्येव तथा ब्रह्माहरात्रिषु
M. N. Dutt: As the same phenomena reappear with the reappearance of the seasons, so, at each new Creation of the same attributes appear in each new Brahman and Hara.
विहितं कालनानात्वमनादिनिधनं तथा कीर्तितं यत्पुरस्तात्ते तत्सूते चात्ति च प्रजाः
M. N. Dutt: I have, before this, spoken to you of Time which is without beginning and without end, which ordains this variety in the universe. It is that Time which creates and destroys all creatures.
दधाति प्रभवे स्थानं भूतानां संयमो यमः स्वभावेनैव वर्तन्ते द्वंद्वयुक्तानि भूरिशः
M. N. Dutt: All the numberless creatures which exist subject to pairs of opposites and according to their respective natures, have Time for their refuge. It is Time that puts on those forms and it is Time which upholds them.]
सर्गः कालः क्रिया वेदाः कर्ता कार्यं क्रिया फलम् प्रोक्तं ते पुत्र सर्वं वै यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: I have thus described to you, O son, the topics about which you had asked, viz., Creation, Time, Sacrifices and other rites, the Vedas, the real actor in the universe, action, and the results of action.
प्रत्याहारं तु वक्ष्यामि शर्वर्यादौ गतेऽहनि यथेदं कुरुतेऽध्यात्मं सुसूक्ष्मं विश्वमीश्वरः
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said I shall now tell you how, when his day is gone and his night comes, he withdraws ali things to himself, or how the Supreme Master, making this gross universe exceedingly subtile, inerges every thing into his Soul.
दिवि सूर्यास्तथा सप्त दहन्ति शिखिनोऽर्चिषा सर्वमेतत्तदार्चिर्भिः पूर्णं जाज्वल्यते जगत्
M. N. Dutt: When the time for universal dissolution comes twelve Suns, and Agni with his seven flames, begin to burn. Wrapt by those flames, the entire universe begins to blaze forth in a huge fire.